Read me!
by TheMoonclaw
Summary: He knew stealing Rydia's diary was a dangerous idea, but it was also a challenge, and the prince of Eblan did like challenges. Besides, the book practically screamed 'Read me'


**Author's Note:**

**Before you read this, I must tell you why I even wrote this. It is practice for me since I don't really like writing in the 1st person, so half this story is in 1st person. Also, the only reason I'm posting it is because a certain writer on this site *cough*_mythweaver_*cough* is shamelessly plugging for stories and asked for 'cookies' to help her complete her novel length story.**

**So, here is a cookie for you :)**

**And um...yeah, here is whatever this is. Read it if you want, or don't. I'm not even sure how good it is.**

* * *

><p>He knew stealing Rydia's diary was a dangerous idea, but it was also a challenge, and the prince of Eblan did like challenges.<p>

Edge had seen her scribble in the book before, but she was usually fast about it and sneaky, keeping it close to her at all times. What, exactly, the summoner had written in there, he had no idea, but that just made it more interesting.

Knowing her, it would probably be studies around magic. She was _always_ studying.

But still, there was a thrill in pilfering the item and succeeding or getting caught.

At the moment they had found a safe haven in the subterranean hell they had found themselves in.

It meant no one needed to be on guard at night, which meant they could actually get sleep, but Edge found that sleep was overrated. That, and he wasn't fond of his dreams lately.

Regardless, it was the perfect time to steal something from the green haired summoner and he wasn't going to miss it.

Stealing a journal was a poor waste of his skills, obviously, but he didn't care at the moment. It proved a little easy, too, and Rydia didn't even wake up when he went through her things to find it. He was surprised she was carrying a bunch of other books around with her. They were on magic, of course.

Once the worn and unimpressive book was in hand, Edge crept to the furthest corner of the safety field and settled down, wondering how long it would be before someone found him. If Kain woke up first, nothing would happened because the other man wouldn't even notice he'd stolen Rydia's book. If Rosa found him he'd get 'the look' and a stern but quick reprimand and Rydia would get her book back. If Cecil caught him, he'd be in trouble, but there wouldn't be any yelling involved; the paladin would just _somehow_ make him feel badly about it.

And if Rydia found him, death would be involved.

Edge grinned and shrugged, unconcerned, and gingerly opened the cover, worried that it might fall off.

The first entry showed how young Rydia must have been when she started writing in it. The handwriting was shaky and uneven, taking up a good portion of the page.

"_I don't know why I'm writing in here. It was Mist Dragon's idea. She thinks I need to write stuff down that's happened to me. I don't know why. No one is ever going to read this. I'm not even going to read it._

_She probably just wants me to practice my letters. I think letters are boring. It's so much easier to speak than write. I'd rather be practicing my spells. You don't need to write to do that_."

He skipped a few pages, noticing how the writing got smaller and more filled the pages than before.

"_I got in trouble today. I'm not sure why. I don't think I was supposed to go into the caves, but no one told me that. Ramuh says I wasn't in trouble. He's says they were just worried. But Shiva yelling at me doesn't seem like worry. Eidolons are like adults. They don't make any sense. When I grow up, I want to just say what I mean the first time and then nobody will be confused_."

Rydia _did_ speak her mind, whether or not you wanted to hear it.

A few more pages were flipped and the writing suddenly looked very neat. She must have grown up some after writing the last section.

"_I haven't written in here in awhile. I forgot about it altogether. I guess that's what happens when you push things under your bed. I still have nothing to write about. My life would seem boring to someone else looking in, and I don't want to start over, to tell my story from the beginning. I don't want to think about what's happened, and writing it won't be any better. But, Ramuh says the past never goes away, it's always there, you just can't get to it. Sometimes he makes no sense, but I think he's saying that you can't go back, but you also can't forget_."

She didn't fill up the page, and, confused, Edge turned to the next one and saw that she had, in fact, started from the beginning.

He'd heard her story before, sort of, anyway. Pieces here and there that had to be put together from different sources.

But to have it in writing, in her own words made it seem more real. Part of him just wanted to skip it, but he felt compelled to finish it out. Rydia had taken the time to write it, and her story was worth reading.

"_I don't feel any differently about it now that I've written it out, but I guess it's good to have it there. Who knows, maybe sometime in the future someone will read this. I am the last summoner left, I suppose it's part of my duty to write my story down_."

Rydia always thought about others before herself, Edge reflected, and this was no different. The girl had a point, too, she was the last of her kind, and history needed to remember.

Skipping a few more sections revealed an interesting entry.

"_I've learned Blizzara and Thundera, but Asura wants me to master Fira. I don't want too. She doesn't get it. The last thing I want to learn is to wield the thing that destroyed my home. That would be like asking me to hold a Dark Sword, the same weapon that murdered my mother. She can't make me do it. I'm good enough with magic as it is, anyway_."

Her words spoke of a teenager angrily arguing with everyone over everything, even if she did have a valid point.

Edge didn't need to read the conclusion of this. Since she could cast Fira and Firaga, it was safe to assume Asura won that battle.

"_I gained Titan today as a summon. I can't sleep I'm so excited. Shiva's already accepted my challenge and I have an idea of how to win against her, but…I'm still nervous. And I'm bruised, too, and my ankle is swollen. I think I'll wait a few days before facing anyone else. Especially if I decide to ask Ifrit. I'm not sure I even have the courage to approach him, let alone challenge him. Ramuh says he doesn't like fighting and will test my wisdom instead. Mist Dragon just giggled when I asked her. I don't know what that means, though_."

So it was true that she had battled each of her Eidolons. There had been speculation about it since they'd earned Asura and Leviathan, but no one had ever actually asked Rydia.

The next entries were about her other battles, about how much she was learning, and pages upon pages of wondering and worrying about the others.

Edge skipped a large segment of the book and then flipped a little more to pass the mid-way point. Some of the other statements he passed were recaps that he'd heard from the others, the things they did before meeting him. But he stopped flipping when he saw a familiar name.

"…_Eblan today. I'm glad everyone is okay. I saw the castle, what's left of it anyway. But these people are so rude! I tried to talk to some of them and all I got were glares. It's like they think I attacked them or something. I think I'll stay close to Rosa. Everyone always likes her. They follow us wherever we go, too, and Cecil's been trying to get us access into the tower, but it's pretty clear they don't want us to go near it. I don't know why, though. We're not the bad guys here. I heard something about someone going missing, but of course, once they noticed me everyone stopped talking. I'm used to getting weird looks because of my hair, but this is different. It's obvious they don't trust us_."

Edge frowned, annoyed that everyone had been so rude. Although, in their defense, he would have been too. They didn't trust people, especially after the attack. And that mistrust was partly his fault. He did run off without telling anyone where they he was going.

Rydia apparently had something to say about that, too.

"_We're finally going to the tower. After three days of being watched and whispered about I'm glad. But, we're under 'orders' to stay out of the way of anyone we meet. Apparently the prince is also going to the tower, although I think their not telling us something. The Seneschal, whose name I can't seem to remember, said that he 'ran off' the first time he explained it to us. That doesn't sound like an approved mission to me. I don't know, all this shadowy stuff is making my head hurt. I just want to get back to what we were doing_."

Edge winced. Yes, running off and nearly getting baked alive was not his finest moment, but he had good reason and it was over and done with now. Rydia had her say, many times, about it anyway. But, curious, he kept reading.

"_I hate this tower. I have never hated anything so much in my life. If it were a person, I can understand the desire to murder it. After all of that we're trapped in the Underworld. Why? Because we ran into another trap. That place is littered with traps. I never want to go back, but we'll have too if we want to stop Golbez. I haven't had time to write, but right now as we're flying over endless lava and rocks in our newly stolen airship, I have nothing else to do. What should I write about? I don't want to recall any of the battles, and right now is boring. I swear we've passed that mountain before, but last time I said something the others assured me I was wrong. They do that a lot, talk down to me. I think they might still see me as the little girl from Mist. To them that was only a few months ago. To me, a lifetime. _

_What should I write about? How about our latest 'ally'? I use that term loosely. I'm not sure why he's still hanging around, and I find him irritating. Needless to say, we found the prince of Eblan, saved him is more like it, but he's nothing like I thought. I have quite a few words to describe him, but none of them are good. _

_His name explains everything. He goes by 'Edge' which is obviously not his real name. I refuse to use it. It's simply too ridiculous._

_Besides that he never seems to take anything seriously. However, if his skills are half as good as he thinks they are, he might be useful._

_But, he never shuts up! I've tried ignoring him but it doesn't work. Apparently he finds me interesting since he's always hanging around trying to talk to me. I've tried being mean, too, but that only seems to make him talk more. I thought he'd be like the rest of his people, not obnoxious._

_Speak of the devil, he's coming over here, most likely to talk to me_."

That was harsh. He frowned and paused in his reading to glance over at the still sleeping summoner. He knew she found him annoying, but to read it was worse.

However, that was awhile ago, and her opinion might have changed, so he kept reading.

"_I feel a little ill today. I'm not telling anyone, though. They worry enough as it is. Maybe I stayed up too late last night. I didn't mean too, but I stumbled upon the ninja prince and we talked. For once with my consent. Back in the tower, a lot happened, and I felt sorry for him. It isn't my story to tell, but I know it was hard. I tried to make him feel better, but I think I made it worse. I'm not very good with people. I can never seem to say the right thing. I hope I at least helped a little bit. It's funny, actually; he wears that mask over his face all the time and yet his entire attitude is a mask. Always hiding…I guess I don't get it. But, I'm realizing more and more that I don't get people very well at all. Half the time I have no idea what they mean._

_This morning Edge is pretending that we didn't talk, and that he's fine, and I'm letting him. It was hard enough, I think, for him to be as open as he was with me and I don't want to push things. _

_I could, however, do without the chattering and odd comments. I still can't figure out why he said I looked better without my cloak on. I'm usually cold, but in the Underworld it's hot. I don't know. I suspect I'll never really get him."_

It was interesting to hear Rydia's take on that night. Edge had been annoyed and embarrassed she'd found him at all, but in the end glad that she did. And that she stayed to talk.

She had just the right amount of sympathy without sounding patronizing or insincere, and she'd mentioned what happened to her mother to show that she really did understand. In the end he tried to cover up sadness with anger and she had slapped him.

Edge grinned and shook his head, remembering the startled look she gave him afterwards. He realized even she didn't expect to do that. But it had worked to snap him out of his depression and move on. Ultimately it was Rydia who indirectly made him stay.

A few entries later, she mentioned him again so he stopped, now interested in seeing how this particular part of her story would play out.

"_Princess Luca's key worked to open the door to the Sealed Cave. We're going to get the last Crystal before Golbez can. I'm not sure what were doing with it once we have it, but I'm too afraid to bring it up to the others. They're very focused right now. Well, Edge isn't, but he's never focused. _

_Kain's been acting strangely. I decided to keep an eye on him. I don't trust the dragoon. I never have. That's one thing Edge and I agree on_."

Oh yes, Kain.

Edge glared over his shoulder at the lump that was the sleeping dragoon. He didn't trust him right now, either. Shaking his head, he went back to reading.

"_Speaking of ninja boy, his magic intrigues me. It's so uncontrolled and wild, and yet I can feel it the same as any basic black. It fact, more so. It's annoying to admit, but I watch how he casts in, hoping that I might learn something. But it's very different and I'm not sure it's something I can pick up. I hate the way he walks behind me all the time. I can't actually hear him so I never know if he's going to stab me in the back. _

_That's not really fair. Him I trust, Kain I don't_."

Rydia _had _started hanging around more closely to him in the Sealed Cave. Ironically, he felt the same way about her ability to summon Eidolons. Whenever she started the dance of magic to bring her allies from the Feymarch he could do nothing but stare. Edge hated to admit it, but she was far more interesting then anything else, and he had been tempted to answer a few of her questions about magic, even if it went against everything he'd ever been told.

She was ethereal and enchanting. His magic was wild? Her very being was untamed and free.

A slight smile tugged at the prince's lips, reading the last line over again. So she did trust him. That was good since he only hung around her so much to ensure she didn't get hurt.

"_Well, Kain betrayed us. I wish I felt a little more surprised, but I'm not. Edge isn't either. He muttered something sarcastic about it a few minutes ago. But poor Cecil and Rosa, they're taking it hard. _

_He did take the last Crystal, too. I'm not sure what we're going to do now. I'm a bit tried right now anyway, and I need to call the Eidolons to tell them what's happened. Asura will not be pleased, but I'm hoping Leviathan can give me some advice. The king is usually very wise_."

There was a pen stroke that swept sharply across the page, looking very out of place, and Edge blinked at it before flipping the page and snickering.

"_I hate that stupid ninja. He just snuck up on me, again! I need to start paying more attention to make sure that doesn't happen again. If I can focus on his magic, maybe I can figure out when he's close. I swear he's cutting years off my life every time. At least he's gone now. I think, anyway. If he wasn't so obnoxious, I might be able to be friends with him_."

The book he was reading was suddenly ripped from his fingers with a sharp motion by pretty, slender hands with green gloves.

"What in the name of Bahamut do you think your doing?" Rydia asked at a fierce whisper.

Edge looked up, trying not to look startled. Talk about sneaking up on someone. That never happened to _him_!

"Reading?" he ventured.

The word fury would not do the look on her face justice.

"Yes, I can see that. Reading, _my diary_! Who do you think you are?" she asked, cradling the leather bound book to her chest.

He opened his mouth to answer, but she snapped her eyes closed, "Please, do not say anything to that. It doesn't require an answer."

Rydia hugged the book closer and spoke again, quietly but enraged, "I can't believe you! I don't go through _your_ things!"

Edge made a face, "I don't have anything to go through,"

She glared at him.

It was true, however, that his belongs consisted of weapons and whatever the others insisted he carry of their supplies.

She spun around and started to walk, more like stomp, back to her sleeping spot.

"Your not going to call one of your Eidolons to fry me?" he called after her, half surprised.

She glared over her shoulder, "Your not worth it."

Stealing from the High Summoner once was dangerous. Twice surely signed his death warrant.

"_Curiosity killed the Coeurl_," was something his mother always told him when he got into things he shouldn't.

But Edge had always liked to play with fire, and that was exactly what Rydia was.

Besides, she'd made it too appealing a target.

The book was open and she had fallen asleep next to it, one hand resting on the pages to keep it open.

It practically screamed, 'read me!'.

Edge looked around, checking to make sure everyone was asleep and that Kain still had his back turned.

Why they trusted the dragoon to watch the camp was beyond him, and it was the reason he wouldn't go to bed until a shift change.

Edge trusted _Rubicante_ to watch the camp more then Kain.

Crawling over to Rydia and reaching for her diary made him grin, thrilled by the danger of it all. He justified that she shouldn't keep it out in the open if she didn't want him to try again. Didn't she know him at all?

When the prince tried to slid the book from her hand, her fingers tightened, momentarily making him freeze.

But she sighed in her sleep and relaxed and he pulled it to freedom and returned to his own spot to read it. Kain was still 'guarding' and looking the other way.

As much as the current entry fascinated him, he flipped back to where he was the other night and started reading.

"_I can't believe it, we're on the moon! The real moon, the one that's in the night sky all the time! No one reading this would believe it, I know, but here we are. I could fill up pages to describe what it looks like, but it's actually not that exciting. Rocks and caves and a general wasteland appearance. But everything's bathed in a bluish tint, and the air here…it's unreal. And filled with magic. It's so thick I can taste it. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time_."

The moon had been an oddity, one he wasn't all that excited about reliving, so he went to skip again but stopped when he saw his name in print again. He liked the way Rydia wrote it out. The E looked so elegant.

"_The monsters on the moon are tough, and many of them are resistant to pretty much everything. Those black flans, for instance, can't be hurt by anyone's weapons. I've been using a lot of magic lately. Speaking of black flans…poor Edge got hit with the sludge they throw. The look on his face was priceless. I did feel a little sorry for him since it is acidic, but we got it off and Rosa healed him so he should stop complaining_."

Edge scowled at the page, remembering that moment. Rydia had looked like she was trying not to laugh. The black flans were one monster he never, ever wanted to run into again.

There was a rustle and he glanced up, seeing the sleeping summoner shift positions. After a moment he carefully flipped a few pages and started reading from the middle of an entry.

"…_weird lately. I thought it might be because of the moon, and Bahamut, but the more I think about it, the more I realize it started before that. I told Rosa about it and she just smiled at me and told me not to worry about it. I question what kind of advice that is! I feel sick and I'm having trouble focusing. I asked the Eidolons and they seemed unconcerned as well…Asura seemed displeased, though. I feel like everyone's hiding something from me. I don't like it. I just hope we can leave this moon soon, in case that is what's making me feel this way. It can't be healthy."_

Edge frowned, realizing he hadn't heard anything about Rydia feeling unwell. Was she sick?

"_I can't sleep. Whatever is wrong with me is getting worse. Rosa giggled today and asked me the strangest questions about it before just telling me to go to sleep. I'm a little annoyed with her at the moment. Besides, I nearly got eaten today by a giant red worm. I have every right to be angry. _

_The thing literally swallowed my arm! _

_And of course, it doesn't just suck things down, oh no, it has teeth, too. I was trying to cast a spell to help the others with the other monsters and it just…Luckily, Edge noticed my predicament and stabbed it until it let go, and I got to unleash my built up magic to turn it into a pile of ash. I'm beginning to hate this moon. _

_It was kind of nice, though, that Edge stayed with me while the others were busy. He even started to treat my arm before Rosa got over to us. Of course, he has to talk constantly and no amount of snappy comebacks or glares from me will make him shut up. Plus, I don't like it when he gets that close to me, or touches me…No, that's not it either, because I don't really dislike it, it just makes me feel…weird. I felt extra sick after that attack too, like whatever disease I have got worse. I wonder if…no, because I was also poisoned by those viruses at the time, I bet that's what made me feel extra ill_."

Edge was trying not to smile too much at poor Rydia's confusion. She had been acting weird after nearly becoming a snack for that worm. He assumed it was because she had been disturbed by it, like he was, but to learn it had nothing to do with that…

He looked over at her and smiled again, amused and slightly relieved that she didn't completely hate him either. In fact, it was possible that she, maybe, _possibly_, liked him.

With renewed attraction in the book he was reading, he skipped a few pages and only stopped again when he saw his name. That was really all he cared about reading now.

"_We're resting in the airship that's parked close to the tower. The field is filled with pieces from that…thing. I can see them from the window. It's going to take a long time to clean it up. _

_I just saw Edge sneaking out. I didn't bother stopping him or even letting him know I saw him. Not only would it probably hurt his ego to know he's not as stealthy as he likes to think he is, I know where he's going. I'm glad too, I just hope his people don't convince him not to come with us. I've gotten used to having him around. As much as he annoys me, I find him amusing too. We have fun together, and it seems like he's always watching my back. I considered him a friend, so I hope he'll come back in the morning_."

He was a little displeased that she had known he snuck out. She hadn't said anything. And his people had tried to convince him not to go back to the moon again, but he'd come anyway. He needed too.

"'_Don't come on the airship'! Who do they think they are? I can personally say that they would be dead without me. Who was it that saved them from Golbez himself? Oh yes, me, High Summoner Rydia and her Mist Dragon! And Rosa's the only white mage we have, they'll be dead within seconds of landing on that moon! I hope they all get hit with black flan sludge…But it doesn't matter, Rosa and I hatched a plan to get back on board. Well, she said to just go and argue with them some more, I decided that we could sneak on. Ha, watching mister 'don't come because it's too dangerous for people who aren't grown-ups' paid off. I snuck right past them! It's a long flight to the moon but I don't care, that just gives me time to fume…_"

Edge winced, remembering how angry she had been. Granted he had been a little harsh and flippant with her, but he'd been worried that something bad would happen if she came with them.

He flipped to the end, seeing that she had almost filled up the whole book at this point.

Her latest entry made him stop and read.

"_This will probably be my last entry in this book. I caught a certain ninja reading this the other day…sometimes I wonder why I even like him, but that's beside the point. This is my last entry because we're going to face Zemus. I'm not sure we'll win, or be alive after that…I'm scared…actually terrified. Not so much of dying, although I really don't want too, but of failing, of letting everyone down. And I do mean everyone; the world, the Eidolons, my friends, my mother…if we don't win, then I don't know what will happen. I'm also scared for the others. I don't want to see anything happen to them. They're my new family, my friends, even Kain. It would hurt me too much to lose anyone else. I'm frightened_…"

"You're up early,"

Rosa's voice jolted him out of Rydia's story and he looked up, blinking at the white mage in confusion.

"Early?"

She gave him a strange look, "Yes, it's barely morning…don't tell me you didn't go to sleep,"

Edge thought about it and then shook his head, "Um, no, I did…"

Rosa just looked mildly concerned and then shrugged, "The others are waking up too, we're going to be leaving soon."

He nodded and watched her leave before glancing back at the book and then aside at the summoner, who was just stirring.

Time to pay the price for snooping.

By the time he had walked over to her, she was sitting up and readjusting the metal guards on her lower arms.

He bent down and thrust the diary out to her.

Her eyes widened and she looked up at him, obviously _displeased._

"Again?"

Edge winced at her screech and dropped the item in her lap as if it had burned his hand, "Yes, but now I'm giving it back to you,"

Rydia stuffed her journal into her bag and then looked back up to glare at him, "I just…I have no words to tell you how _angry_ I am at you right now! That's my life's story in there!"

"I know, but…well, my father always said that you shouldn't say or write anything that you didn't want everyone to know." Edge said, shrugging.

He winced as she stood in a flurry of movement and leaned towards him, snarling, "Is that supposed to make what you did okay?"

"I-"

"Don't!" she snapped, holding up her hands an waving them in front of her, nearly whacking him in the face, "I don't want to talk about this anymore, I can't! Just…stay away from me."

Rydia turned and brushed past him, heading towards the cave's entrance. Edge sighed and grabbed her arm as she went, halting her and making her twist back, startled.

There was a pause and then he released her elbow in favor of placing both his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm scared too."

Her eyes widened and she blinked, looking surprised.

He nervously licked his lips and then shifted his gaze away from her.

There was another long pause and finally she scoffed, "You? Your never scared of anything…"

It was more of a snide remark than a reply, and he grinned before answering with, "No, I'm just better at hiding it."

A small smile slipped on the summoner's lips, but she forced it back and crossed her arms, unyielding in her anger towards him.

Anger he most assuredly deserved, of course, but it still annoyed him.

"I'm worried about not making it back, too. About letting everyone down, and trust me, I don't want anything to happen to any of you either." the prince admitted, surprised he would confess something like that too her.

She blinked and swallowed, expression softening as she whispered, "Even Kain?"

Edge grinned, "Who will I harass if he dies?"

She giggled ever so slightly and then glanced up at him, "Don't think I'm going to forget about this and forgive you so easily, ninja boy."

"I know." he said, conceding that she was right.

They stared at each other for a moment and Rydia blinked, letting her arms fall to her sides, "Will you…watch my back?"

"Always."

She smiled, a full smile this time, and he brushed his fingers down her arm slightly. The action made her stiffen, but before she could say anything or pull away, Cecil called from the entrance.

"Are you two coming?"

They both looked over and then Rydia nodded, calling back, "Yes!"

She glanced at Edge and he moved his hands dramatically, slipping past her and mentioning, "I'm sorry, I forgot you don't like it when I touch you."

Her eyes went wide again, and even moving away from her he could see her cheeks flush.

He snickered to himself and basked in the fact that he had survived stealing from the summoner _twice_.

It was finally over.

They won, saved the day, were heroes and all that amazing stuff. They'd probably go down in history even.

Right now, though, everyone was too tried and drained to care.

They still had a long trip back in the Lunar Whale back to their planet.

Edge didn't feel like hanging around with the others at the moment and so went to sit down on the lower deck and stare out the window.

It didn't feel like everything was over, not even close, and in a way he supposed it wasn't. They still had to tell the story of their awesome victory to everyone, answer questions, rebuild everything, get over all the betrayal and bad stuff and have a wedding for two certain people, even if said certain people insisted nothing had been decided yet.

He sighed and leaned back against the wall.

They actually had more to do now that the bad guy was dead then they did when he was alive.

Tapping footsteps interrupted his thoughts and he lazily looking over towards the sound, wondering who was coming to bother him.

Rydia came down the steps looking a little fidgety and clutching a familiar book in her arms.

Edge wondered if she was going to bring _that_ up again.

He waited patiently as she wandered over and stood in front of him, effectively blocking his view of the stars outside. Without a word she held the book down and out towards him.

Edge raised an eyebrow and she commented dryly, "It's a long trip back, and you'll just help yourself anyway."

He took the offering and she spun to walk away without another word, leaving the prince to watch her gracefully walk away.

Once she was out of sight, he opened her diary to the last pages and read past what was supposed to be her final entry.

"_I know I said I wasn't going to write in here again, but…I still have two pages to fill up and it seems wrong to leave the story unfinished. We survived and saved the world. Why don't I feel more excited about it? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy, but…something is wrong with me. I'm afraid to go back to our world. _

_Everyone else has homes and families and friends and lives. Lives without me, and what do I have? I know the Eidolons will let me return but Asura already mentioned to me that they wouldn't let me stay forever. She says I need to be with my own kind. I know somehow that she is right, but I don't belong anywhere. I have no home, and I don't want to be in anyone's way. I'd miss everyone, though, and I know that I wouldn't be happy not seeing them anymore. _

_Especially, as much as I hate to admit this, Edge. I know, I sound insane and I don't quite get it myself, but…I think I get why Rosa was just laughing at me before. I guess this is normal? I don't understand, but what I do know is that I like him and it's going to be strange to not see him all the time._

_No matter what happens, I know this isn't the end of anything. It's more like a new beginning, a new chapter._

_I'm the last of my kind, I am High Summoner Rydia Madian Sari of the village of Mist, daughter of the Feymarch and caller of Lord Bahamut, and this is my story_."

She had indeed filled up the entire book with eighteen years of her life, finishing on the very last page.

Edge agreed with her that it didn't feel like and end, and he suspected that they were both right.

He also agreed with her that he would miss everyone once they got back. It wouldn't be the same, and that made it not as joyous as the return should be.

But, Rydia was special, she was worth bending a few rules for, she was worth admitting that he would miss her, too.

He found her standing in one of the hallways, staring out the window, palms pressed against the glass. The look on her face was one of pondering.

He hesitated, fiddling with the leather book in his hands, unsure what he even wanted to say to her.

Finally he decided he was thinking on it too much and just walked up behind her and reached around her to hold the book in front of her.

She jumped, obviously not hearing him, before gently taking the item and glancing over her shoulder, her expression shy.

For a moment, they both stayed like that and then Edge took a deep breath, "I could write to you,"

She smiled a little, "And how are the letters going to get to me?"

He frowned and looked away, "I haven't thought that far ahead yet."

Rydia lowered her head and clasp the book with both hands, looking a little disappointed.

"You could not go anywhere," he suggested, wincing a moment later as he realized he had actually said that out loud.

Her gaze snapped upwards, equally surprised, "…I don't have anywhere to stay,"

"You know that's not true,"

She looked away again, back out the window.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Rydia didn't question what he was talking about, "Things are easier to write."

"I agree."

Her look was skeptical, "You never shut up!"

Edge frowned at her, "That doesn't mean it's not easier to write things out,"

They stayed there in silence for a moment, neither moving, neither speaking.

"Oh, too hell with it," he muttered, physically spinning her around to face him, ignoring the outraged look on her face mingled with a little alarm.

"What-"

"No," he interrupted, "don't say anything."

She snapped her mouth shut and froze, keeping the diary into between them as a sort of shield.

"I like you, Rydia, love you even, and if I read that book correctly, you like me too. I don't know why we're trying to dance around the subject. I don't want you to go back to the Feymarch because I'd rather you stayed somewhere I could see you whenever I wanted. But, I want you to be happy, and if going back there makes you happy, then go." Edge said, speaking quickly before he could think better of it.

"I know I annoy you, and quite honestly, you kind of annoy me too. But that's why I think I like you so much. Your special, and I don't want to get off this space airship without telling you and never see you again."

He stared at her, hoping to see something other then shock on her face and finally whispered, "Just, promise me that if you do like me, and that if you do go back to the Feymarch, that this won't be the last time I see you."

Rydia blinked a few times and then whispered, "I promise."

They both sighed and relaxed, looking away and studying opposite walls. Edge realized he was still holding her shoulders and moved his hands only to have Rydia grab one and slid her fingers through his, "You did read correctly."

She swallowed, "I just…don't really understand it very well."

"I'm not sure I do either, but…if you keep your promise, we have time to figure it out," he said hopefully.

She smiled and nodded and he chuckled, "I just can't believe I got away with reading your diary _three times _and I'm alive to tell the story!"

Rydia frowned, "Don't tempt me to kill you."

They shared a smile, and then she looked down, giving the book a squeeze in a anxious fashion.

He used his hand to lift her chin, thinking she looked cute when she was nervous, almost as beautiful as when she was angry.

Some people would think a kiss would be moving much too quickly, but he justified it that he had just, halfway, confessed how he felt about her.

Besides, it wasn't like the summoner was defenseless.

"Rydia, Edge, we're going to land soon!" Rosa called from the next hallway over.

He sighed and closed his eyes, "Bad timing,"

"Really bad…" she agreed, taking a step back.

She then shrugged and grabbed his arm, forcing him to follow her towards the main section of the ship.

"You filled up that whole book," he said, gesturing to it as they walked, "You'll need a new one now."

She nodded, "Yes, I will…one with a lock."

"I can pick locks, you know…"

"A magical lock."

"I'm pretty good at magic,"

"A magical lock created by the Eidolons specially designed to keep _one_ person out."

"…Sounds like a challenge. I like challenges." Edge commented, looking at her.

Rydia grinned, "Yes, but I think your going to have plenty of them without my diary, if you want me to keep my promise, anyway…"

He stopped walking, confused, "Wait, what?"

She giggled and ran the last bit of their trip to join the others, green hair streaming out behind her.

"What did I get myself into, exactly?"

* * *

><p>How in the world did this get THIS long? I swear, I did not type all that! You know...I wasn't sure I even liked this until I proof read it before posting, and then I thought it was okay.<p>

As a note on Rydia's title/name on her last entry. I also thought it was weird that none of the summoner's have last names except for Eiko Carol from IX. And since 'Carol' is also a first name, I came up with this interesting idea about how summoners names work; they take their parent's names as their first and second name (like a middle and last name) after they turn 16. Which would explain why Rydia wouldn't have it when she was a little girl. And yes, 'Madain Sari' is also the name of the summoner's destroyed home in IX which is why I picked it. Because I'm clever like that. As for her title, I always thought it would be fun if she had a really long, impressive sounding title even though she's one of only a few characters who isn't royalty.

Granted none of this is cannon, but who cares! And this was all created for another project I was kind of working on that I will probably never finish...don't ask.

Anyway, um...here is whatever this story was and...yeah. It was good practice. Until next time!


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